The President of the United States
in the name of The Congress
takes pleasure in presenting the
Medal of Honor
to

*KNIGHT, RAYMOND L.
(Air Mission)Rank and organization: First Lieutenant, U.S. Army Air Corps. Place and date:
In Northern Po Valley, Italy, 2425 April 1945. Entered service at: Houston, Tex. Birth:
Texas. G.O. No: 81, 24 September 1945. Citation: He piloted a fighter-bomber aircraft in a series of
low-level strafing missions, destroying 14 grounded enemy aircraft and leading attacks
which wrecked 10 others during a critical period of the Allied drive in northern Italy. On
the morning of 24 April, he volunteered to lead 2 other aircraft against the strongly
defended enemy airdrome at Ghedi. Ordering his fellow pilots to remain aloft, he skimmed
the ground through a deadly curtain of antiaircraft fire to reconnoiter the field,
locating 8 German aircraft hidden beneath heavy camouflage. He rejoined his flight,
briefed them by radio, and then led them with consummate skill through the hail of enemy
fire in a low-level attack, destroying 5 aircraft, while his flight accounted for 2
others. Returning to his base, he volunteered to lead 3 other aircraft in reconnaissance
of Bergamo airfield, an enemy base near Ghedi and 1 known to be equally well defended.
Again ordering his flight to remain out of range of antiaircraft fire, 1st Lt. Knight flew
through an exceptionally intense barrage, which heavily damaged his Thunderbolt, to
observe the field at minimum altitude. He discovered a squadron of enemy aircraft under
heavy camouflage and led his flight to the assault. Returning alone after this strafing,
he made 10 deliberate passes against the field despite being hit by antiaircraft fire
twice more, destroying 6 fully loaded enemy twin-engine aircraft and 2 fighters. His
skillfully led attack enabled his flight to destroy 4 other twin-engine aircraft and a
fighter plane. He then returned to his base in his seriously damaged plane. Early the next
morning, when he again attacked Bergamo, he sighted an enemy plane on the runway. Again he
led 3 other American pilots in a blistering low-level sweep through vicious antiaircraft
fire that damaged his plane so severely that it was virtually nonflyable. Three of the few
remaining enemy twin-engine aircraft at that base were destroyed. Realizing the critical
need for aircraft in his unit, he declined to parachute to safety over friendly territory
and unhesitatingly attempted to return his shattered plane to his home field. With great
skill and strength, he flew homeward until caught by treacherous air conditions in the
Appennines Mountains, where he crashed and was killed. The gallant action of 1st Lt.
Knight eliminated the German aircraft which were poised to wreak havoc on Allied forces
pressing to establish the first firm bridgehead across the Po River; his fearless daring
and voluntary self-sacrifice averted possible heavy casualties among ground forces and the
resultant slowing on the German drive culminated in the collapse of enemy resistance in
Italy.

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